Side wire locating mechanism



July 13, 1954 w REYNOLDS 2,683,521

SIDE WIRE LOCATING MECHANISM Filed June 30, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 g} Inventor;

2 Kenneth W. Reynokis WM:- KW

H\s Attorney J 1954 K- w. REYNOLDS SIDE WIRE LOCATING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 50, 1951 lnvent0r= ynolds Ma AQW Hi6 Attorney K en neth W. Re y $51! July 13, 1954 K. W. REYNOLDS SIDE WIRE LOCATING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 30, 1951 Inventor- Kenneth W. Reynolds by-M Has Attorney Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES SIDE WIRE LOCATING MECHANISM Kenneth Walter Reynolds, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a

corporation of New York Application June 30, 1951, Serial No. 234,595

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the manufacture of electric lamps and devices of a like nature comprising a filament or electrode enclosed Within a glass bulb or similar container provided with outwardly projecting lead-in Wires. The invention is particularly concerned with a new and improved mechanism for automatically orienting an electric lamp held in a suitable chuck holder, and the specific embodiment described herein locates the lamp by reference to the angular position of its side lead-in wire.

The invention may be advantageously employed in conjunction with a lamp conveyor system of the indexing type such as is described in copending application number 234,593, filed June 30, 1951, of John Flaws Jr. et al., entitled Automatic Lamp Base Threading Machine and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The base threading operation described therein is performed at a station of the conveyor system by a mechanism which drops a base, open end down, over the neck of an upstanding bulb and with the eyelet hole of the base substantially in lin with the top lead-in wire of the bulb. The base is located over the bulb by means of a threading tube and is agitated by jets of air which are directed upon it through the walls of the tube. The forced agitation of the base provides the top lead-in wire with repeated opportunities for entering the threading hole and thus the base is threaded on a trial and error basis in substantially similar manner to manual threading by an operator.

In order for the above-mentioned basing machine to operate economically, it is highly desirable to provide some mechanism for detecting defective bulbs prior to the basing operation and for ejecting them from the conveyor system. It will be understood that th cost of the base is a sizable proportion of the total cost of the finished lamp and that the basing of a defective lamp means the complete loss of a good base. The ejection of defective lamps from the conveyor may be performed by a mechanism such as described in copending application number 234,594, filed June 30, 1951, of John Flaws Jr. and Carl B. Meckstroth entitled Defective Lamp Detecting and Ejecting Mechanism, and now Patent No. 2,653,711, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. That mechanism is located at a Work station of a conveyor prior to the basing station; however in order for it to operate eiiectively, the bulbs must be so oriented in the holding chucks that the side leadin wire is located in a fixed position.

In addition, where the bulbs are fed at random into the holding chucks but are required to be transferred with a fixed direction of the side lead-in wire toa finishing machine, as explained in the copending Flaws et a1. application, the orientation of the bulb by reference to the location of its side wire becomes essential.

Accordingly the general object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism for locating the side lead-in wires of the bulbs of electric lamps and similar devices supported in holding chucks.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved side wire locating mechanism adapted to operate in conjunction with a lamp conveyor system of the indexing type such as is described in the abovementioned Flaws et a1. application.

The specific object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved side wire locating mechanism which is adapted to operate on a bulb, held neck up in a chuck of an indexing type conveyor system and which rotates the bulb until its side wire is turned to a predetermined angular position.

The side wire locating mechanism in accordance with the invention comprises means for rotating the bulb while held in a chuck of the conveyor system. The rotating means are brought into engagement with the bulb while its holding chuck is indexed at the locating station. At the same time, a pair of contacts are brought into play, one for engaging the top lead-in wire, and the other for engaging the side lead-in wire when the bulb has been rotated the required amount. Immediately contact through both lead wires is established, a circuit is completed through the filament to a suitable relay system which disables the rotating means. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotating means are constituted by vertical rollers which are supported on a pair of frame members. These members are pivotally mounted in order to permit the rollers to encompass the bulb on opposite sides. When the members are pivoted open, the bulb is left free for indexing into the succeeding work station of the conveyor system.

For further objects and advantages and for better understanding of the invention, attention is now directed to the following description and accompanying drawings. The features of the invention believed to be novel will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a pictorial view of a side wire locating mechanism constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention and shown in conjunction with a fragment of an articulated lamp conveyor system such as is used in the copending Flaws et al. application.

Fig. 2 is a pictorial view of the same mechanism shown in its disabled condition with a new lamp bulb in the course of being indexed into the locating station.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the electrical relay system utilized in the side wire locating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a pictorial view of a side wire locating mechanism of somewhat different design and constituting another embodiment of the invention.

The operation of the present mechanism may be understood by reference to Fig. 1 wherein there are shown electric lamp bulbs la, lb, and lo at successive positions on an articulated conveyor system. The bulbs are of a pear shape and have a constricted upper neck portion 2 out of which extend the top lead-in wire 3 and the side lead-in wire 4. The inward projections of the lead wires through the press 5 within the bulb support the filament 6.

The bulbs are held in suitable chuck assemblies la-c, each comprising a rectangular shaped base 3 on which are pivotally mounted a pair of jaws 9 and H). These jaws are secured to cranks I l and l2 which are spring biased with respect to the base by means of coiled springs l3 and I4. The jaws are thus normally urged together to a substantially upright position in a manner to engage opposite sides of a lamp bulb and to seat it firmly on the crowfoot-shaped cup 15. The lamp chucks are driven by a roller chain of which a portion is shown at IS; the chucks are suitably fastened to links of the chain along their undersides and ride on a pair of guide rails l1 and I3. The wedge-shaped guard plates l3 and 20, which, as may be seen in the figure, are overlapped as between successive chucks, prevent debris such as glass fragments from falling on the chain and interfering with its operation. The chucks of the conveyor system are indexed from the upper left to the lower right as indicated by arrow 2|; thus bulb la is successively indexed from the position in which it is illustrated, into that occupied by bulb lb, and then into that occupied by bulb lc, being held stationary in each station for a definite time interval in accordance with the dwell period or indexing cycle of the conveyor system.

It will be observed that the side lead-in wire 4 of lamp la is located transversely of the direction of motion of the conveyor system; since the bulbs are loaded into the chucks of the conveyor system without any predetermined orientation, the side lead-in wires of successive bulbs are located at random. For the successful operation of an automatic base threading machine, it is .essential that the bulbs be rotated until the side lead-in wire assumes, in every case a fixed direction. In the present mechanism, the required direction of the side lead-in wire is parallel to and pointing back along the direction of motion of the conveyor system. The necessary rotation of the bulb is effected while it is located as shown at lb by means of the mechanism 22 which will now be described in detail.

The rotation of the bulb lb is accomplished by the combined operation of four rollers '2328. These rollers may be made of a flexible material such as rubber. Rollers 23 and 24 are fast on the lower ends of shafts 21, 28 passing through dependent legs 2'l, 2B of a frame member 29.

downward pull of spring 42.

Member 23 is shown broken away on the side closest to the front of the drawing in order to show portions of shafts 21, 28. The rear rollers 25, 26 are similarly fastened on shafts passing through the conjugate frame member 30. Both frame members 29 and 30 are pivotally hung on a bracket 3| by means of horizontal shafts 32 and 33 which pass through their short upper legs. The bracket 3| is fastened to the standard 34 which in turn is preferably bolted to the frame or bedplate of the conveyor system.

Vertical shafts 21 and 28 of the two front rollers 23 and 24 are geared to a horizontal shaft 32 by bevel gears, as shown at 35 and 3G. Horizontal shaft 32 is geared to a transverse shaft 3'! by means of bevel gears shown at 38, and this latter shaft in turn is driven by an electric motor 39 through worm gearing shown at 40. Motor 39 is continuously driven at constant speed during the operation of the conveyor system and independently of its indexing cycle, so that the rollers 23 and 24 rotate continuously.

The bulb lb rotates whenever frame members 29 and 30 are pivoted inwards so that the rollers engage the bulb. To stop the rotation of the bulb, the frame members are pvoted out; this condition is illustrated in Fig. 2 and occurs, either when a new bulb is being indexed into a locating station, or when a bulb has been rotated until its side wire has achieved the desired rearwardly pointing direction.

Frame members 29 and 30 are normally pivoted in through their own weight and also by the They are pivoted out through the operation of a solenoid 42- whose armature 44 is mechanically connected to the upwardly projecting central portions of the frame members by means of toggle 111135 45 and 46. When the solenoid is de-energized, the rollers 23-26 engage the bulb, as shown in Fig. 1; when the solenoid is energized and its armature is pulled up into the coil, as shown in Fig. 2, the toggle links draw the upwardly projecting portions of frame members 29 and 30 together so that their lower legs swivel out and the rollers 23-23 are disengaged from the bulb.

In accordance with the invention, the rotating means constituted by the rollers and their driving mechanism is effectively disabled, as soon as the bulb has been rotated so that its side wire occupies the required position; this occurs as a result of the completion of a circuit through the top and side lead-in wires and the filament of the bulb. The contact to the top lead wire 3 is effected through a blade contact 4'! and a spring wire contact 48. These contacts are insulatedly mounted on the inside of the transverse portion of frame members 29 and 30; thus when the frame members pivot together to permit the rollers to engage the bulb, contacts 41 and 48 simultaneously encompass the top lead wire 3 on opposite sides and assure electrical contact to it.

The contact to the side lead-in wire 4 is effected when the bulb has been rotated so that this wire engages a vertical spring blade 49. To insure that blade 49 does not interfere with either the bulb or its lead wires during movement of the conveyor, it is lifted out of the way whenever frame members 29 and 30 are pivoted out. To this end, blade 49 is attached to a horizontal bar 50. This bar is pivoted at 5! to the bracket 3| and has its swinging end riding in a vertical slot in a plate 52 attached to the bracket. Bar 50 is linked to the armature 44 of the solenoid by means of the short connecting link 53. Thus when solenoid i3 is energized and its armature lifted, bar 50 is pivoted upward and spring blade 49 is lifted clear of the path of movement of the bulb and its lead-in wires, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The operation of the relay system through which solenoid. E3 and the rotating means are controlled, may be understood by reference to Fig. 3. It will be realized that the circuit is .in schematic form and that the component elements are diagrammatically illustrated.

Solenoid 13 is arranged for possible energization, from a voltage source connected across terminals 55, through a pair of alternative paths. The first path is through conductor 56 and the contacts 5? of a switch K-l. This switch is operated by a cam 58 fast on a shaft 59 suitably geared to the drive means for the conveyor system in such fashion that it makes one complete revolution during each indexing cycle of the conveyor. The raised portion of the cam corresponds to that part of the index cycle during which the chucks are in movement, whereas the portion at a lower level corresponds to that part during which the chucks are stopped at their respective work stations. Thus when the conveyor is in movement, contacts 57 close, the solenoid is energized, and the rollers are pivoted out, clear of the path of movement of the bulbs. As soon as a new lamp has been indexed into the locating station, contacts 5'! reopen, the solenoid is de-energized, and the rollers are brought into engagement with the bulb and start rotating it.

The alternative path for the energization of solenoid d3 through conductor 60 and the normally open contacts 5i of a holding relay K-Z. This path only becomes operative when the bulb has been rotated into the desired orientation and its side lead-in wire has contacted spring blade contact 49. The circuit through the lead-in wires and the filament 5 of the bulb is completed through conductor 62 and the coil 63 of a pilot relay K-3. Pilot relay K-3 is preferably of a low current high sensitivity type; if a less sensitive relay is utilized, a suitable amplifier may be connected in the circuit of conductor 62, in which case the relay is operated from the output terminals of the amplifier. When contacts 64 of pilot relay K-3 close, they complete a circuit in cluding the coil 65 of relay K-2, which energizes that relay. Thereupon, the alternative path through contacts 6| of relay K-Z is completed so that solenoid i3 is energized and the rollers are pivoted out, thereby stopping the rotation of the bulb.

As soon as holding relay K-2 is energized, its contacts 65 also close and complete a holding circuit for this relay which includes the normally closed contacts 6'! of cam switch K-l. This auxiliary holding circuit is provided in order to obviate any possible reopening of the circuit through the lead-in wires of the bulb, which might occur as a result of the side wire 4 bouncing back from the spring blade 49 after the initial contact. At the end of the work portion of the index cycle, contacts 61 open so that the auxiliary holding circuit for relay K-Z is broken, thereby allowing that relay to reset itself for the succeeding index cycle of the conveyor system.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in simplified diagrammatic form in Fig. 4, parts of the mechanism having been cut away for greater clarity. The holding chuck for the lamp bulb illustrated herein requires some modification from that which has been described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The bulb I, instead of being seated on a crowfoot-shaped cup, is seated on a ring H fastened to the base 8, against which it is urged by the spring loaded jaws 9 and I0. The base of the chuck has a circular opening cut through it at 12 immediately below the center of the bulb. The chain 16 engages the chuck base to one side of its center in order not to interfere with the opening 72.

The desired rotation of the bulb is accomplished by means of a rubber suction cup 13 which engages it through the opening l2 and the seating ring I l. Suction cup 13 is fastened to the upper of a hollow spindle M which is mounted for reciprocation on a vertical axis. The spindle is rotated by means of a slidably mounted driven gear 15 engaging a driving gear it, the latter being driven by any suitable means such as an electric motor. The spindle is moved vertically upwards when it is desired to engage the lamp, and the lamp is then held onto the suction cup through a vacuum. The vacuum connection may be made at i? and it is then communicated through the slip fitting l8 and the bore of the spindle up to the suction cup '13.

The vertical reciprocation of the spindle is achieved by means of a crank 79 pivoting on a pin 86 and carrying at its forward end a yoke 8! which engages the collars 82 and 83 on the spindle. The movement of the crank is effected through a solenoid 8% whose armature 85 is connected to the rearward end of crank lilby a connecting link 86. The contacts to the top and side lead-in wires 3 and i may be effected by similar means such as were described with reference to the embodiment of Fig. l, for instance contacts 41 and 48 and spring contact blade 49.

The relay control system for the mechanism of Fig. 4 may be similar to that which has been described with reference to the mechanism of Fig. 1 and illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be realized of course that solenoid 84 of Fig. 4 replaces in part only the solenoid 43 shown in Fig. 3. In addition, either a second solenoid may be utilized for lifting the contacts 41, 38 and 149 out of the path of movement of the bulb and its lead-in wires, or a suitable mechanical linkage to the armature of solenoid 84 may be provided for the purpose.

While certain specific embodiments have been shown and described, it will of course be realized that various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. Thus the two different mechanical arrangements which have been shown for rotating the bulb are illustrative of other possible combination which may be utilized. Likewise various modifications may be made in the relay control system and in the arrangement for disabling the rotating means when the bulb has been rotated to therequired angular position. The invention, in any case, provides means for rotating the bulb, which means are disabled upon completion of the circuit through the lead-in wires when the side lead-in wire has achieved a predetermined angular orientation. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover any such modifications coming within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A mechanism for orienting lamp bulbs in holding chucks by reference to the angular direction of their side lead-in wires, said bulbs being periodically presented at a station by an indexing type conveyor carrying the chucks, comprising a plurality of rotating rollers located at said station and encompassing the path of movement of the bulbs, mean for advancing said rollers into engagement with a bulb indexed into the work station, contact means for completing a circuit through the bulb after it has been rotated such that its side lead-in wire has achieved a predetermined angular direction, and means for Withdrawing said rollers upon completion of said circuit, thereby to stop rotation of said bulb with its side wire in said predetermined direction.

2. A mechanism for orienting lamp bulbs in holding chucks by reference to the angular direction of their side lead-in wires, said bulbs being periodically presented in upstanding position at a station by an indexing type conveyor carrying the chucks, comprising a pair of conjugate vertical frame members pivotally suspended on horizontal axes at said station above the path of movement of the bulbs, vertical rollers carried on said frame members, means for pivoting said frame members inwardly to bring said rollers into engagement with said bulb, drive means for rotating said rollers, thereby to cause rotation of said bulb in its chuck, contact means for engaging the side leadin wire and for completing a circuit through the bulb when it has been rotated into a predetermined orientation, and means for pivoting said frame members outwardly upon completion of said circuit, thereby to disengage said rollers from the bulb and stop the rotation thereof in said predetermined orientation.

3. In combination, an indexing type conveyor comprising a series of holding chucks having means for resiliently supporting sealed electric devices, said devices having side lead-in wires and being oriented at random in successive chucks by reference to the angular direction of said lead-in Wires, rotating means located at a station of the conveyor and movable to engage the device within a chuck indexed thereat, contact means for completing a circuit through the device when it has been rotated so that its side wire has achieved a predetermined angular direction, and means for disabling said rotating means upon completion of said circuit, thereby to stop rotation of said device with its side wire in said predetermined direction.

4. In combination, an indexing type conveyor comprising a series of holding chucks having means for resiliently supporting electric lamp bulb in upstanding position, said bulbs containing a filament and having top and side lead-in wires projecting outwardly, the bulbs being oriented at random in successive chucks by reference to the angular direction of their side lead-in wires, rotating means located at a station of the conveyor and movable to engage the bulb in a chuck indexed thereat, contact means for engaging the top and side lead-in wires of the bulb when it has been rotated so that its side lead-in ill wire has achieved a predetermined angular direction, said contact means thereby completing a circuit through the filament of the bulb, and means for disabling said rotating means upon completion of said circuit, thereby to provide a fixed orientation to the bulbs.

5. In combination, an indexing type conveyor carrying electric lamp bulbs in upstanding position in holding chucks, said bulb containing a filament and having top and side lead-in wires projecting outwardly, the bulbs being oriented at random in successive chucks by reference to the angular direction of their side lead-in wires, 21- pair of conjugate vertical frame members pivotally suspended on horizontal axes at a station of said conveyor above the path of movement of the bulbs, vertical rollers carried on said frame members, means for pivoting said frame members inwardly to bring said rollers into engagement with the bulb, drive means for rotating said rollers, thereby to cause rotation of said bulb in its chuck, contact means for engaging the top and side lead-in Wires of the bulb when it has been rotated so that its side wire has achieved a predetermined angular direction, said contact means thereby completing a circuit through the filament of the bulb, and means for pivoting said frame members outwardly upon completion of said circuit, thereby to stop rotation of said bulb with its side wire in said predetermined direction.

6. In combination, an indexing type conveyor carrying electric lamp bulbs in holding chucks, said bulbs containing a filament and having top and side lead-in wires projecting outwardly, the bulbs being oriented at random in successive chucks by reference to the angular direction of their side lead-in wires, said bulbs being held in upstanding position over an opening in said chucks, a rotating vertical spindle located at a station of said conveyor in alignment with and below the opening in the chuck indexed thereat, suction means mounted on the upper end of said spindle, means for reciprocating said spindle upwards to bring the suction means into engagement with the bulb, contact means for engaging the lead-in wires of the bulb and completing a circuit through its filament when it has been rotated to a, predetermined orientation, and means for lowering said spindle upon completion of said circuit, thereby to stop rotation of said bulb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,824,432 Hendry Sept. 22, 1931 1,915,028 Jagenberg June 20, 1933 2,109,505 Rue Mar. 1, 1938 2,247,602 Carroll July 1, 1941 

